Oblivion
by Jasmine Starlight
Summary: It started out as a prank, but it ended as so much more. Hyuuga Neji’s never really known a parent’s love, his mother died and his father hates him. Sabaku Gaara’s never really been happy, it’s lonely at the top. NejiGaara. NarutoSasuke.
1. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

**Oblivion **

**By Jasmine Starlight**

Full Summary: It started out as a prank, but it ended as so much more. Hyuuga Neji's never really known a parent's love, his mother died and his father hates him. Sabaku Gaara's never really been happy; it's lonely at the top. Neji/Gaara. Naruto/Sasuke.

I've started another high school fic, shoot me.

Let me tell you, I'm fucking sick with all the fics that make Gaara the abused one. What did I do? I made Neji the fucked up abused one.

It's something that we haven't beaten to death yet, right?

I'm so fucking tired.

**CHAPTER ONE**

**I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS**

"Alright, everyone out of the water!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and pinched Neji's nose, who sputtered and went under the water in response, "What was that for?" he demanded crossly as he wrung out his hair.

"You fell asleep again." Sasuke said bluntly as he climbed out of the pool, running a hand through his hair to spike it up again; this time it was Neji who rolled his eyes.

Sasuke walked past Kakashi-sensei who was wearing a sweatshirt and swim trunks, his grey hair sticking up obstinately even though it seemed to be perpetually damp.

Neji followed him into the locker room, where humidity and steam prevailed.

Sasuke dumped his towel and duffel bag unceremoniously by the bench that was occupied by a dozing body. "Menduksee na." Shikamaru groaned as he sat up.

"Were you here the whole time?" Neji asked curiously as he fiddled with his lock.

"Iie, I swam 10 laps." Shikamaru said as he retied his drooping ponytail.

"The rest of us had to swim 100." Sasuke said wryly as he headed toward a shower stall.

"Swimming that much is too troublesome." Shikamaru muttered as he wrenched his locker open fluidly and took out his damp ponytail and extracted a towel.

"Everything is troublesome for you." Kimimaro said annoyedly as he slammed his own locker open.

"Saying the word 'troublesome' should be too troublesome for you." Neji remarked as he put on shoes.

"Bite me."

Fuck this. Fuck you. Fuck this. Fuck you.

"I'm telling you it's a good prank." Sakon said as he walked with Gaara toward their next class.

"A pyramid of desks?" Shino asked skeptically.

"Sounds retarded." Kiba put in.

"Why can't we do my idea again?"

"Because we can't buy that many eggs without looking suspicious." Gaara repeated annoyedly.

"Or that many bottles of cream soda." Ukon put in thoughtfully.

"Fine, gang up on me!" Naruto said as he pouted, but then he cheered up almost immediately when he spotted Sakura in the hallway.

"Sakura-chan!"

Gaara rolled his eyes, "Give it up." Kiba muttered.

Eventually the girls caught up to them, Ino twirled a strand of blonde hair around her finger in what was supposed to be an alluring gesture; it was lost on Gaara.

"Ne, Gaara-kun, what are you doing after school?" Ino said batting her eyelashes enticingly.

"Basketball practice." Gaara said in his usual monotone.

"I'm free, Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed loudly.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "No you're not, we have soccer practice." Kiba interrupted boredly.

"Shut up, Kiba."

"Make me."

Shino rolled his eyes, "How long is lacrosse today?" Ukon asked him supinely.

"Until 4." Shino replied boredly.

Fuck this. Fuck you. Fuck this. Fuck you.

Eventually they'd agreed on silly string, and a barricade of chairs, their mode of transportation was Sakon's monstrous silver SUV.

Gaara was supposed to silly string the pool area, but when he got there, the double doors were ajar. "No one is supposed to be here." He murmured to himself.

Quietly he slipped in and watched breathlessly as someone did laps in the football field sized pool, it was like watching a dolphin.

Streamline, graceful, swift.

Gaara stepped forward, entranced by the sight, but in his daze his sneaker made a slapping sound on the wet floor, and he was spotted.

Neji stopped in the middle of his lap and made his way over to Gaara, "What're you doing here?" he asked crossly.

Gaara blinked, "I could ask you the same; how'd you get in anyway?" He heard himself asking.

Neji held up a silver key hanging from his neck, "I have a key, what kind of prank involves silly string? Are you still in the third grade?"

Gaara felt his familiar sneer fall into place. "I'm not sure, why don't you tell me."

Neji remained silent and pulled himself out of the pool, "Whatever."

"How come you're here so late?" Gaara asked as he sat beside Neji at the edge of the

pool.

"Didn't you know? 12 AM is the best time to swim." Neji said slinging a towel over his shoulders.

"Right." Gaara said disbelievingly.

"No really."

"Gaara!" Naruto's voice rang out, clear as a bell.

Gaara's jade eyes widened slightly, "Quick! Hide!" Gaara exclaimed as he jumped to his feet, Neji rolled his eyes and yanked on Gaara's sweatshirt and pulled him into the water. Neji stood at waist deep.

"Hey, Neji." Naruto said, as if it were the most normal thing to sneak into your school to swim.

"Hey." Neji replied, wincing slightly as Gaara's fingernails dug into his ribs.

"Seen Gaara anywhere?"

"No."

"Okay, see you." Naruto said as he left the pool area, Neji could faintly make out the sound of him telling someone else that Gaara wasn't in there.

Sighing, Neji disentangled Gaara from his waist and pulled him to the surface, "What'd you do that for?" Gaara asked as he took off his heavy sweatshirt.

"You said to hide."

"You're fucking insane." Gaara remarked as he leant against the wall.

"Whatever." Neji said as he sunk deeper into the water.

Gaara surveyed him through the corner of his eye.

"Holy shit, you have big shoulders."

"What?"

"Did I just say that out loud?" Gaara asked dumbly.

"Yes." Neji said as he wrung his hair out.

"It's true." Gaara said.

"Really?" Neji said as he rotated his shoulder, Gaara found himself transfixed by the rippling muscles.

"Yeah." He said breathlessly.

Suddenly he could feel Neji's breath on his face, "Are you breathing?" Neji asked incredulously.

"Huh." Gaara said as he gazed into Neji's white eyes.

Neji poked him in the forehead and the moment was ruined.

Fuck this. Fuck you. Fuck this. Fuck you.

"So, where were you last night?" Sasuke asked Neji the next day as they walked toward swim practice, Sasuke's fan club following at a distance.

Neji looked over his shoulder, "Snuck out."

"Oooh, maybe there's hope for you yet." Sasuke remarked as he ran a hand through his hair, smirking as several fan girls fainted away.

"I still don't why you have to torture the poor schizoids like that." Neji said as he walked into the locker room.

"After years of that, it's hard not to develop a mean streak."

"Mean? Vindictive maybe, malicious, sadistic, maniacal. But not mean." Neji as he opened his locker.

"You used to have to deal with that too."

"Yeah, good times." He said wistfully as he draped a towel around his neck and walked out of the locker room.

"Hyuuga! You're on the board today!" Kakashi barked as he blew his whistle.

Neji sighed and climbed up to the diving board and dove in, twisting in the air as he did so. When he came out of the water, Kakashi remarked: "Getting fancy aren't we?"

"Nara! You're up next!"

"Awww, menduksee…"

"Keep it moving!"

"Swimming was supposed to be easy…" Shikamaru muttered darkly as he ambled toward the diving board, Neji dangled his feet pensively in the cool chlorine water.

"Going to the competition on Saturday?" Kimimaro asked as he climbed out of the pool just as Shikamaru hit the water.

"Maybe."

"…"

Fuck this. Fuck you. Fuck this. Fuck you.

"What happened to you yesterday?" Naruto asked as Gaara slammed his locker shut, the redheaded boy suddenly tensed up.

"Gaara?" Naruto asked cautiously.

"Nothing. I just had a project I flaked on."

"Was it for Mizuki-sensei?"

"No, why would it be Mizuki-sensei?"

"I was just tryin' to make conversation Gaara." Naruto said tearfully.

Gaara sighed and dug through his pockets, "Here." He said, pulling out a container of instant ramen.

"RAMEN! RAMEN! RAMEN! RAMEN!"

"Who gave Naruto ramen?"

Gaara slowly walked away.

**END**

Can I call this a teaser?


	2. Social Climbing

**Oblivion **

**By Jasmine Starlight**

**Full Summary:** It started out as a prank, but it ended as so much more. Hyuuga Neji's never really known a parent's love, his mother died and his father hates him. Sabaku Gaara's never really been happy; it's lonely at the top. Neji/Gaara. Naruto/Sasuke.

A/N:…I'm back with full chapters.

Any suggestions on pairings for, Kiba, Shino, Kimimaro, Haku, Hinata, Sakura, Ino, etc?

Open for any type of feedback.

The section in POV is indicated by the italics…it's Neji's POV.

**CHAPTER TWO **

**SOCIAL CLIMBING**

"—which forced Germany to sign the Treaty of Versailles--"

Neji zoned in and out during Kurenai-sensei's history lesson about the WWI era, just wasn't interesting anymore, he was picking at a scab on his arm when a balled up piece of paper hit him.

_This is so boring._

_Going out later, coming?_

SK 

Neji turned to look at Kankurou who was feigning rapt attention to the diagram of a WWI JU-88 war-plane. Neji sighed and began to pen his reply.

_Possibly._

_Who else is going?_

HN 

…_Haven't really considered that yet…_

_I think my sperm donor wants me to get my brother out of house._

SK 

…_Gaara?_

HN 

_Yesh…how do you know him? He's a year younger than us._

SK 

_Seen him around._

_Where are we going?_

HN 

_Pizza? Chinese? Thai? Tex Mex?_

_Is there anyone you'd particularly like to come?_

_I'm running out of ideas…T-T_

_SK_

_You must be, if you're asking **me** to bring friends._

_I haven't seen Lee in awhile._

_Or Tenten._

HN 

_That makes five._

_Do you really have to invite Lee? He's blinding to look at._

…_anyone else? I think we could bring Kimimaro and Sasori._

_Maybe Temari, if I feel particularly masochistic._

_SK_

_Wow! You learned a new word. _

_That word of the day calendar I gave you is really working._

_HN_

_Shut up._

_SK_

_:D_

HN 

Fuck this. Fuck you. Fuck this. Fuck you.

**Neji was swimming in a pool of clear silver water. His dream-self smiled, he'd had this dream many times before. He climbed out of the water to sit on a large rock that lay by the bank.**

**The rock was cold and slippery, Neji turned to stare at the dark blue sky; dappled with diamond like stars.**

**Suddenly the scene shifted as the water disappeared and the sky turned black, Neji was suddenly falling, his vision was obscured with a crimson haze.**

Fuck this. Fuck you. Fuck this. Fuck you.

"—the lunch specials are mystery meat, cream corn, tuna fish sandwiches—"

"You do the Biology homework?"

"WE HAD BIOLOGY HOMEWORK!"

"Yes."

"Oi, sit over here stupid!"

Neji sighed and backtracked to where Naruto and Sasuke were sitting, which was under a tree in the courtyard.

"Neji, did you do the Biology homework!"

"Yeah."

"REALLY?"

"Like last year."

"You always get me with that one." Naruto said darkly as he opened his cup ramen.

"Only because you make it _so_ easy." Sasuke responded as he flipped through the pages in his binder.

Naruto threw his ramen thermos at Sasuke who, used to Naruto's antics by now, reflexively batted it away.

Neji picked up the thermos and stared at the noodles inside, "Dude, what's wrong with your ramen?"

"Whaddya mean?" Naruto demanded around the chaos that was his binder.

"It's blue."

"Didn't you know? Dobe's become a ramen test subject." Sasuke remarked drolly.

"Blue raspberry stupid!" Naruto said loudly.

Neji raised his eyebrows and poked experimentally at his mystery meat.

Fuck this. Fuck you. Fuck this. Fuck you.

"You're not going to tell are you?" Gaara asked in his usual monotone as he stood next to Neji as he unpacked his locker.

"You sure know how to give someone a heart attack." Neji said quietly as he punched his lock to close it.

"Don't tell or--"

"Or what? You and your popular friends will beat me up in a very cliched way that has been done a thousand times before in movies, books, TV, etc?" Neji said cynically as he walked through the deserted hallways.

"…"

"You don't have to follow me."

Gaara glared, Neji glared back, Gaara glared some more.

This continued until Neji rolled his eyes, "Fine, I won't tell."

Fuck this. Fuck you. Fuck this. Fuck you.

**WhiteEyes16 has Instant Messaged you**

_**WhiteEyes16: Neji?**_

_**DESTINYMUSTDIE: what?**_

_**WhiteEyes16: Are you alright?**_

_**DESTINYMUSTDIE: Like you care.**_

_**WhiteEyes16: I DO care, you know that.**_

**_DESTINYMUSTDIE: No you don't. You're just talking to me because you feel GUILTY that my dad hates me and _**you**_ think it's _**your**_ fault because _**you_** have make everything about yourself.** _

_**WhiteEyes16:…stop it.**_

_**DESTINYMUSTDIE: You messaged me! **_

_**WhiteEyes16: Neji, I want to help you! Why don't you—**_

_**DESTINYMUSTDIE: You want to help ME? That's rich.**_

_**WhiteEyes16: Why do you always have to be like this?**_

_**DESTINYMUSTDIE: Why? Why you ask? Hmmm…let me think Hinata-chan, perhaps it could be because my father likes to take out his frustrations about his dead end job on me.**_

_**WhiteEyes16: …**_

_**DESTINYMUSTDIE: in the form of a belt.**_

_**WhiteEyes16: Neji what do you want me to do? TELL ME? I want to help you! **_

_**DESTINYMUSTDIE: I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP! Leave me the hell alone. **_

_**WhiteEyes16: But you need it! Why can't you admit that you need help! Stop pushing me away like this, you can't keep everyone in your life at arm's length because you're afraid of getting hurt. One day you'll be all alone because you've pushed everyone who's ever loved you away and you'll have no one to blame but yourself.**_

_**DESTINYMUSTDIE: fuck off…**_

_**(DESTINYMUSTDIE has signed off)**_

_I glared angrily at the computer before shutting it down, it was useless. I winced as a welt on my back began to twinge in pain. _

_I moved to look in the mirror, my back was a smorgasbord of bruises, most of which usually healed and left no trace, which is something I hate, when my bruises heal and leave nothing behind on my skin. Nothing._

_Not even a single fucking mark._

_You'd think by now that I'd have scars, but no they have to heal like they were never there. Returning my skin to its normal freakishly pale tone. _

_Maybe they're a metaphor for me, an outsider. Always there but always hidden? Maybe not. I stared at the marks that my balled fists have caused during my conversation with Hinata. Not for nothing, but even if she tries to understand, it's not enough. _

_She doesn't know what it's like, her being from the Main family and me being from a lowly Branch one. She doesn't get it. Clan hypocrisy is the entire reason my father is such a fucked up dick. _

_It's all archaic social politics, just because you were born five seconds after your twin brother does not make you a lesser person. Like it's been drummed into my head since childhood. And it does not give people the right to treat you in a inferior way. Because of course, being so RICH and so POWERFUL gives you the right to judge people._

_It's fucking retarded and my life sucks because of it, not to say that my life wouldn't suck if my father was head of the Main family because being a Hyuuga might still drive someone to severely abuse their only son. _

_Hinata pities me because of my so called situation, which is annoying because I don't need anyone's pity. What's rich is when her father, Hiashi, comes calling. He's always staring at me like I'm some lost puppy that he wants to save. If he really wanted to save me he would have changed policy on some things. He's the one all the other families are supposed to listen to, he has the power, but he sits back as and twiddles his thumbs and does nothing._

_Aren't we supposed to take care of our own? If they care so much why don't they report my dad? Or send him to counseling? Or DO ANYTHING?_

_It's because it would tarnish their stupid reputation, which is the most important. Always. If that got out, it would equal bad publicity, which equals tarnished image, which equals ultimate shame. _

…_those without sin cast the first stone._

Fuck this. Fuck you. Fuck this. Fuck you.

"Are you doing anything later?" Gaara found himself asking, as he spoke with Naruto on the phone.

"Nope, Iruka's going to be at a faculty meeting until late. So I was just gonna play some video games and try out my new ramen flavors."

"As exciting as that sounds, would you like to come to dinner with me and my brother?" Gaara requested awkwardly.

"Sure!" Gaara could almost see Naruto's fist pumping in the air.

"Right, going to bring anyone?"

"Huh, well, maybe Kiba and Shino, or maybe even Sakura-chan--" Gaara rolled his eyes, "—hey I'll call Temee and see if he'll come."

"Why?"

"Because I want to make him see that Sakura will love me!"

Gaara rolled his eyes again, "You realize that Sakura is never going to give you the time of day, right?"

"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" Gaara held the phone away from his ear as Naruto bellowed at him.

"You have a better chance with Sasuke." Gaara remarked sourly.

Naruto was strangely silent for a moment, "Naruto? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, so where is it? Am I getting a ride? What are we eating? Do I have to pay? How much money should I bring?"

"Naruto, Naruto, I wouldn't have invited you if my brother wasn't going to pay."

"Oh thanks—Hey! WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!"

Gaara dropped the phone in the sink.

Fuck this. Fuck you. Fuck this. Fuck you.

Neji was still lying on his bed when Kankurou called. "Yeah? Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Nuh-uh. Yeah. Peace."

Neji clicked his phone shut and assessed himself in the mirror, the shadows under his eyes were becoming more apparent. The Hyuuga boy went to his bathroom and opened his medicine kit to reveal several eyeliner pencils and concealer sticks. Selecting a pale shade, Neji began to color over his "evidence", his embarrassment, and his imperfection.

**END**

**Maria-Thanks**

**Chinese-Fairy-Thanks? I think...**

**Chibi-Crysti- Hugs**


End file.
